Shock absorbing mechanism



July 11, 1939. w. A. Hl-:ITNER SHOCK ABSRBING MECHANISM 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 7, 19:58

Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES l 2.165.375 snocx Ansoitmc. MEcnANTsM william A. Henner, chicago, n1., assignor to w. n.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Del- Application May 7, 193.8, Serial 110,206,626 4 claims. (Cl. zia-44) This invention relates to improvements ih shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a shock absorbing mechanism adapted to be com- 5 pressed between follower acting elements which are movable toward and away fronif each other', comprising relatively movable, longitudinally disposed members actuated by saidfollower elements and connected 'to interposed rubber means, the rubber element of which is distorted by relative movement of said longitudinally disposed members to place said rubber element under shear and thereby cushion shocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shock absorbing mechanism especially adapted for railway draft riggings, comprising a plurality of longitudinally disposed, relatively movable, metal plates having rubber pads interposed between and secured to the same,'whereby Aupon compression of the mechanism between the usual relatively movable followers of the draft rigging stretching action is applied to ,opposite sides of each rubber pad in reverse directions to distort said pad, and thereby cushion shocks imparted to the mechanism. I

' A more specific object of the invention is to provide an efficient shock absorbing mechanism comprising a plurality of longitudinally disposed plates interposed between fzrontand rear follower elements Which are movable towardand away vfrom each other, the front and rear ends of adjacent plates being staggered to provide for relative longitudinal movement thereof by said followers when the latter are moved with respect to each other, and longitlginally disposed v rubber pads interposed between and fued to said.

plates, whereby said pads are distorted to cushion shoclm upon relative longitudinal movement of said plates.

40 Other objects ofthe invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following. t

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal,

sectional view through a portion of the underframe structure at one end of a railway car, il lustrating my improved shock absorbing mechanism in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of the improved shock absorbing mechanism shown in Figure 1 in compressed condition between the front and rearfollowers of the railway draft rigging, the followers vbeing indicated in dotted lines. Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical, seci5 tional view, corresponding substantially to the line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of one of the rubber pads-and the-associated plates' of the improved' mechanism illustrated in Figure, 1.

In said drawings, III- I0 indicate the longi- 5 tudinally extending center or draft sills of. a railway car underframe structure' having the usual top and bottom flanges, the anges at the bottom of the sills only being shown in Figure 1.

On the inner sides, the sills are provided with 10 front and rear stop lugs II--II and I2-I2 commonly employed in draft riggings. The rear portion of the usual coupler shank is indicated by I3, to which is operatively connected a yoke I4 of well-known `construction. My improved A15 shock absorbing mechanism and cooperating front and rear main followers I5 and I 6 are 'disposed within the yoke, the followers I5 and I6 cooperating respectively with the front and rear stop lugs II-II and I2-I2 inthe usual man- 20 ner. A saddle plate I1 secured to the bottom flanges of. the sills Ill-I0 underlies the yoke Il and supportsv the latter and the parts contained therein.

My improved shock absorbing mechanism'25 comprises broadly a pair of relatively heavy plate members A A; aset of longitudinally disposed members B-B; a second set of longitudinally disposed members C-C alternated with the members B-B; and a plurality of longitudinally 30 disposed platelike rubber pads D-'D alternated with the members B and C, the members B and C and the pads D being embraced between the heavy plate members A-A.

The heavy plates A-A are of substantially 35 rectangular outline and disposed at opposite sides of the mechanism adjacent the sills. 'I'hese plates normally have their rear ends bearing on the follower I6 and their front ends spaced from the follower I5. y -40 Each longitudinally disposed member B is preferably composed of a pair of substantially rectangular metal plates I8 and I9 in fiat surface contact with each other, the front end of the plate I8'being curled over, as indicated at 20, 45 and infhooked engagement with the front end edge of the plate I9. The rear end of the plateA I 9 is curled over, as indicated at 2|, and is hooked over at the rear end edge of the plate I8. As will be evident, the opposite ends of eachmember B 50 thus present rounded faces adapted to cooperate with the followers I5 and I 6, thereby preventing scoring of the followers by the raw edges of the plates. As shown in Figure 1, the front ends of the membersB normally bear on the front follower I5 and the rear ends are normally spaced from the rear follower I6.

Each longitudinally disposed member C is also preferably composed of a. pair of substantially rectangular metal plates 22 and 23 which are in ilat surface -engagement with each other. The front end of the plate 22 is curled over, as indicated at J2d, Vand the rear' end of the plate 23 is curled over, as indicated at 25, said curled ends being engaged over the front and rear end edges of the plates 22 and 23, respectively, thereby providing a unit similar to the member B.' `As shown in Figure 1, the rear ends of the members C-,-C normally bear on the follower I6 and the front ends of these members are normally spaced from the front follower I5.

The rubber pads D are in the form of rectan- ,gular blocks or relatively thick plates which are shorter than the plates A and the members B and C. The mechanism as shown comprises eight rubber pads D-D, four members B-B, three members C-C-C, and two plates A-A. Two of the pads D--D are disposed at opposite sides of the mechanism and are secured to the inner sides of the plates A-A, the outer surface of each pad D being vulcanized to the inner surface of the corresponding plate A. The other side of each of these two pads is secured to the adjacent plate of the outer member B at the corresponding side of the mechanism, the inner surface of the pad D seen at the top of Figure 1 being vulcanized to the surface of the plate I8 of the adjacent member B and the inner surface of the pad D seen at the bottom of Figure 1 being vulcanized to the surface .of the plate I9 of the adjacent member B. The remaining six pads D-D, which are alternated with the members B and C, are secured respectively to these members, each of these pads having the surface on one side thereof vulcanized to the outer surface of the adjacent plate of the corresponding member B and the surface on the other side thereof vulcanized to the outer surface of the adjacent plate of the corresponding member C. Each of these six pads D, together with the two plates to which it is secured, thus forms a unit. These six units, each comprising a pad D and two plates, are of similar design except that the adjacent units of the assembled gear have the ends of the plates arranged so as to be spaced differently longitudinally of the pads. One of three of such-units is shown in Figure 4. The three units corresponding to that shown in Figure 4 are alternated with the remaining three of said group of six units. Each unit corresponding to Figure 4 has the rubber pad D thereof vulcanized to the plates I8 and 23 of the adjacent members B and C. Each of the remaining three units has the rubber pad D thereof vulcanized to the plates I9 and 22 of the adjacent members B and C. Each unit, comprising the pad D and the plates I8 and 23, has the curled ends of these plates projecting greater distances beyond the front and rear ends of the pad than the straight edged other ends of said plates, as clearly shown in Figures l and 4, and each, unit comprising the pad D and the plates I9 and 22 has the straight edged ends of these plates projecting greater distances beyond the front and rear ends of the pad than the curled ends of said plates, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

In assembling the mechanism, the six units, each comprising a pad D and two plates are placed side by side, the units comprising the pads Dand plates I9 and 22 being alternated with the units comprising the pads D and plates I8 and 23, the hooked ends '2h of the Blutes la being engaged over the straight edged ends of the adja` members C-C. In the assembling operation, the

heavy plates A-A, together with the attached pads D-'D and plates I8 and I9 are also placed at opposite sides lof the six units referred to, with the plates I8 and I9 in flat surface contact and hooked engagementwith the plates i9 and I8, respectively, of the outermost of said six units. The assembled mechanism is then placed between the front and rear followers I5 and I6 of ,the

draft rigging, as shown in Figure 1.

Although the members B and C have herein been shown and described as each composed of two plates, it will be evident that it is within the scope of the invention to form each member B and C of a single plate with the pads D-D vulcanized to opposite sides thereof.

The operation of my improved mechanism is as follows: Assuming a. bufng or pushing force is applied to the coupler I3, thereby moving the same inwardly, the front follower I5 will be forced rearwardly toward the follower I6 which, at this time, is held stationary by the stop lugs I2--I2, thereby moving the members B-B rearwardly while the plates A--A and the members C--C are held stationary by engagementwith the stationary rear follower. Each rubber pad will thus be stretched in opposite directions at opposide sides thereof through relative movement of the attached plates of the members B and C and relative movement of the plates A--A with respect to the outer members B-B, thus distorting the pads, as shown in Figure 2, and, in effect, placing the same under shear. The shock imparted to the mechanism will thus be cushioned due to the inherent resiliency of the rubber pads.

When` the actuating force is reduced, the tendency of the distorted rubber pads to return to their normal shape will return the members B and C and the plates A to which they are secured to the normal full release position shown in Figure 1, thereby also effecting return of the followers and other parts of the draft rigging.

The operation in draft is the same as in buff With the exception that the front follower I5 is held stationary and the rear follower I6 is pulled forwardly by the yoke I4, moving the members C--C and the plates A--A forwardly while the members .B-B are held stationary by the front follower I5.

In the normal full release position of the mechanism, the front ends of the plates A--A and the front ends of the vmembers C-C are spaced a distance from the front follower I5 corresponding to the spacing of the rear ends of the members B-B from the rear follower I6. Due to this equal spacing, the front and rear ends of the plates A-A and all of the members B and C will be simultaneously engaged by the front and rear followers when tbe mechanism is fully compressed, these plates and members thus acting asa solid column to transmit the force from one main follower to the other and limit compression of the mechanism, thereby sive shearing strain.

Although my improved shock absorbing mechanism has been herein shown and described as applied to a railway draft rigging, it will be evident that it is not limited to such use and may be employed wherever it is found necessary to cushion shocks, as for example in connection with railway car trucks, etc.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A cushioning mechanism composed of a plurality of elongatedA units arranged side by side, each unit comprising an elongated rubber pad, and elongated plates secured to opposite sides of said pad, said plates being disposed lengthwise of said pad, each of said plates having one end thereof projecting outwardly beyond the pad 'and beyond the corresponding end of the other plate.-

2. A cushioning mechanism composed of a plurality of units arranged side by side, each' unit comprising an elongated rubber pad, and a pair of elongated plates secured to opposite side faces and extending lengthwiseofsaid pad,-

the front and rear ends of each plate projecting beyond the corresponding ends 4of said pad, the front end of one of said plates projecting to a greater extent than the rear end thereof, -and the rear end of the other `end projecting to a. greater extent than the front end thereof, adjacent units of said mechanism being arranged with plates having similarly projecting ends in v:dat contact with each other.

3. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a set of elongated pressure transmitting members arranged lengthwise of the mechanism; of a second set of elongated pressure transmitting members arranged lengthwise of the mechanism, the members of one set being alternated with the members of the other set, the ends of the members of said first named set,

y at one end of the mechanism, projecting beyond the corresponding ends of the members of the second named set, and the ends of the members of the second named set, at the other end of the mechanism, projecting beyond the corre- Sponding ends of the members of the first named set, each member of each of said sets comprising a pair of elongated plates, disposed side by side in face to face contact with each other; and a plurality of elongated rubber pads inter,- .posed respectively between adjacent members of said two sets and having their opposite ends spaced inwardly respectively from said projecting ends of the iirst and second named sets of members, each of said pads being iixed to the adjacent plates of the members between which ,said pad is disposed.

4- In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a set of elongated pressure transmitting members disposed lengthwise of the mechanism; of a second set of elongated pressure transmitting members disposed lengthwise of the mechanism, the members of one set being alternated with the members of the other set; and a plurality of elongated'rubber pads, one of said pads being interposed between each two adjacent members, the members of said rst named set, at one end of the mechanism, projecting beyond the corresponding ends of the members of .the second named set and beyond the corresponding ends of the rubber pads to receive the actuatand in hooked engagement with the correspond-l ing end of they other plate, each pad having its opposite side faces secured to the adjacent plates of the members between which said pad is disposed. 

